Thursday, 27 September 2007

Finally I have finished the Angel of Harmony. I am a little dissapointed with her, as I had hoped to use some metallics to backstitch around her dress, but I couldn't find the right colour. I tried with one colour, but it looked so silly, that I ended up unpicking it and going back to the suggested colours.

I have also purchased some more things from ebay:

1779 Ship - Carriage House Samplings

10 Virgins - Barrick Samplers

28ct linens

Caron Watercolours & Waterlillies

Thread Gatherer's Silk 'N Colours

This weekend is the labour day long weekend, so we have lots of things planned. Swimming lessons, a trip to the zoo and mabye a drive to the mountains. Somewhere in there I hope I will get some stitiching done on the next project.

PS. I don't quite know what happened here and where the photo has gone, it somehow when missing. I think I may have forgotten to publish this one. Oh well, it's never too late. I will update the photo as soon as I find it....

I have found the picture, it was filed in the wrong place??? I have updated the finished design.

Friday, 21 September 2007

I am finally on the home straight. Just the back and straight stitches and the french knots to go. I can't believe it has taken this long to finish. I am pretty pleased with her and the stitching has been easy, with no confetti or fractional stitching. I am going to use some metallics on the back stitching of her dress and some blending filament on the straight stitching of her wings.

I have selected my first person to receive some Christmas Ornament patterns, so congratulations Karen, I will be posting them off to you this week. I will get back to you soon with the last two people who have been selected.

Thursday, 20 September 2007

First of all I would like to thank everyone who left well wishes for Aurelia aka "The Chicken". I am pleased to say that she is getting better. All the high fevers have gone and the cold and cough seem to be clearing slowly. The fact that she is tearing the office apart at the moment is a clear sign that she is better.

Do you have a special order that you stitch your designs?

I have found that designs that are not huge, I work from darkest thread to lightest thread, then the back and straight stitches, and then french knots. I also leave all the metallic threads to last. If it's a large design I usually stitch the main feature in the design from dark to light. Then I stitch the rest of the design and then all the specialty stitches.

Tuesday, 18 September 2007

I have not touched any of my major projects this last week or so as "The Chicken" has been really sick. I think she may have a case of the flu or something like that. She has had little sleep and is very, very grumpy and just wants mum. The doctors have done plenty of tests, but can't find anything major, thank goodness, so I think we will just have to ride this one out.

I have had the opportunity to complete some little Christmas ornaments though. These require little to no concentration. They still have to be trimmed and put into frames to hang on the Christmas tree, but that can be done closer to Christmas. These are from the "Stitch 'N Hang" and "Stitch 'N Frame" kits.

I have done plenty over the years, so I have a whole stack of patterns I don't use anymore. I would like to randomly select three people who comment on this blog entry to receive ten patterns each. They all have a colour key, but don't specify particular brands of colours or numbers. I suppose you could always just match up whatever suits you best. I know there are lots of clever people out there!!

I have also managed to sell quite a lot of my craft items on eBay. I am very happy, because now I can buy more patterns and materials. Yeah!

Sunday, 9 September 2007

We went to the Hubertus Club for lunch today. This is the local German club and had a terrific German meal. I had a pork goulash with sauerkraut and it was enormous and very, very tasty. I am so glad that I didn't order the gypsy meal like everyone else. It was huge, with deep fried mushrooms, chicken and pork schnitzel, kransky sausage, potato wedges, cabbage and potato salad. I don't think I will be having any dinner tonight.

"The Chicken" enjoying a German feast

I have finally finished putting all the craft things for sale onto eBay today. Hopefully it all sells! Unfortunately I haven't had much of a chance to touch my stitching, but maybe tonight once "The Chicken" has gone to sleep.

Saturday, 8 September 2007

Well, my resolution to get my UFOs completed seems to be working. After only a few hours work, (and an APEC public holiday) I have finished "I Love My Garden" by Debbie Mumm. All that was left to be done was a few lazy daisy stitches and some backstitching. I don't know why I procrastinated for so long. But here it is....

I have also looked at another UFO for the first time in nearly six months. It's called "Summer Breeze" by Paula Vaughan. The house is nearly completed, but there is still a very long way to go, which is especially bad considering I have been working on it for many years. It's all the fractional stitching that seems to get to me and the continuous changing of colours. I find that quite boring.

I have also taken the opportunity to clean out my craft cupboard and sell a whole lot of cross stitch patterns and other craft stuff that I have already completed or don't need anymore. I have listed on eBay and hope that it all sells, because then I can go and buy some more patterns and materials.

Tuesday, 4 September 2007

I have been bidding on eBay for some Carriage House Samplings cross stitch designs and I have won all of them. I am so happy! More designs to add to the list of designs that need completing. This also means a trip to buy some more materials and threads. YEAH!! Here are the designs that I won.